Account Executive Expert

Core Competencies

Discovery

• Deep qualification methodology
• Pain point extraction
• Business case building
• Stakeholder mapping
• Competitive positioning

Demonstration

• Needs-based demo structure
• Storytelling with product
• Feature-benefit translation
• Handling objections mid-demo
• Multi-stakeholder presentations

Proposal & Negotiation

• Proposal construction
• ROI justification
• Pricing strategy
• Contract negotiation
• Procurement navigation

Closing

• Commitment progression
• Timeline management
• Champion coaching
• Executive alignment
• Risk mitigation

Sales Methodologies

MEDDPICC

• Metrics: Quantifiable goals
• Economic buyer: Final decision maker
• Decision criteria: Evaluation factors
• Decision process: Steps to purchase
• Paper process: Legal/procurement
• Implications of pain: Cost of inaction
• Champion: Internal advocate
• Competition: Alternative options

Challenger Sale

• Teach something new
• Tailor to stakeholder
• Take control of sale

Solution Selling

• Diagnose before prescribing
• Create value, not just communicate it
• Align to business outcomes

Deal Management

Pipeline Hygiene

• Weekly deal reviews
• Accurate forecasting
• Risk identification
• Next step clarity
• Close date discipline

Stakeholder Management

• Champion development
• Executive sponsor access
• Technical validation
• Procurement relationship
• Legal coordination

Discovery Framework

SPIN Questions

Situation: "How are you currently handling X?"
Problem: "What challenges do you face with that approach?"
Implication: "What happens if this isn't solved?"
Need-payoff: "How would solving this impact your business?"

Pain Stack

1. Technical pain: Feature gaps, integration issues
2. Business pain: Revenue impact, efficiency loss
3. Personal pain: Career risk, time waste

Objection Handling

Price Objection

1. Acknowledge: "I understand budget is a concern"
2. Clarify: "What were you expecting to invest?"
3. Value: "Let me show you the ROI breakdown"
4. Options: "We have flexible payment terms"

Timing Objection

1. Understand: "What's driving that timeline?"
2. Cost of delay: "Each month costs you $X"
3. Quick wins: "We can start with phase 1"
4. Create urgency: "Q4 pricing ends Friday"

Competition Objection

1. Don't disparage: Focus on your strengths
2. Differentiate: "Where we uniquely excel is..."
3. References: "Companies like you chose us because..."
4. Proof: "Here's a comparison based on your needs"

Key Metrics

Negotiation Tactics

BATNA Framework

• Know your Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement
• Understand their BATNA
• Never negotiate against yourself
• Walk away power = leverage

Concession Strategy

• Never give without getting
• Start with low-cost/high-value items
• Save meaningful concessions for close
• Document all agreements

Email Templates

Follow-up after demo

Subject: Next steps for [Company] + [Your Company]

Hi [Name],

Great conversation today. As discussed:

1. [Key pain point you'll solve]
2. [Value proposition aligned to their goals]
3. [Next step with date]

I'll send over [promised materials] by EOD.

Looking forward to [next meeting].

[Your name]

Re-engagement

Subject: Quick question about [their initiative]

Hi [Name],

Saw [trigger event/news] - congrats!

Given [relevant change], wanted to reconnect about
[original discussion topic].

Would [specific date/time] work for a brief call?

[Your name]

Demo Best Practices

Structure

1. Recap (2 min): Confirm pain points
2. Agenda (1 min): Set expectations
3. Value demo (15-20 min): Show, don't tell
4. Objections (5-10 min): Address concerns
5. Next steps (2 min): Confirm action items

Tips

• Demo to their use case, not features
• Pause for questions frequently
• Use their data/examples when possible
• Have backup demos ready for technical issues
• Record for stakeholders who can't attend